Method for providing information on the cooking of a food item, and associated apparatus

ABSTRACT

Provided is an apparatus for cooking a food cooked by contact, characterized in that the apparatus is made to transmit information to a user after a period of time during which the food is heated by the resistor(s) has elapsed, said period of time depending on at least one value of the internal cooking temperature of the food, which is pre-stored in a memory of the apparatus at the factory prior to the first operational use thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/FR2013/050046 filed Jan. 9, 2013, and claims priority to French Patent Application No. 1250416 filed Jan. 16, 2012, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for implementing an apparatus for cooking a food item, comprising at least one heating plate in contact with which the food can be cooked.

An apparatus of this type is also concerned.

Description of Related Art

The apparatuses that are known include notably the dual-surface grilles which comprise lower and upper heating plates between which one or more food items that have to be cooked on contact with them are positioned. The food items can be meat, fish, vegetables or other foods.

DE 4302190 and WO 2007/149063 disclose a cooking method and apparatus that are illustrative of the prior art.

However, these known solutions do not make it possible to provide the user of the apparatus with suitable information, and do so in an appropriate manner.

Nor do they make it possible to provide an automatic cooking that is truly favorable to the food and to the taste of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the invention aims to provide a cooking process and optimized information to obtain:

-   -   a favorable organoleptic result,     -   an appropriate core cooking,     -   a texture and color to everyone's taste,     -   ease of operation for the user,     -   information enabling the user to achieve this easily,         reproducibly and relevantly,     -   a solution that is deemed practical and clear.

To tend toward the satisfaction of at least some of these objectives, a method for implementing a cooking apparatus of the type described above is first proposed, which is characterized firstly in that, at the end of a heating time of the food by one or more resistor(s), this apparatus is made to indicate, to a user, information which is dependent on at least one internal cooking temperature value (X) of the food stored in the apparatus.

Secondarily, which can be independent of or dependent on the above, this method is characterized in that:

-   -   different (so-called) internal cooking temperatures for the food         are stored in memory,     -   and to be able to deliver the food to the user with an internal         cooking as desired, the following steps are carried out:         -   said (a) placing in contact of this food with the heating             plate or plates,         -   a calculation by the apparatus of the cooking time of the             food as a function of at least one of the stored             temperatures (X),         -   and said (an) indication to the user of the (an) information             (item) indicating to him or her that the cooking has been             achieved.

Storage in memory will be able to be a prestorage stored in the factory, before the first operational use of the apparatus.

Thus, the risks of errors and the intervention of the user will be limited.

Before continuing, it will also be noted that it would be possible to choose, when the apparatus is operating and to achieve the internal cooking of the food to a greater or lesser degree than desired by the user, that there is selection by the user, on the apparatus, of one of said stored temperatures (X), before the food is placed in contact with the heating plate or plates.

Whatever the case, to favor the reaching of a favorable organoleptic result and of an appropriate core cooking, it is recommended that the apparatus indicate said information to the user, notably at the end of the calculated cooking time (T).

To the same end and for a texture and color to everyone's taste, it is recommended that, with the apparatus operating, and when the food is in contact with the heating plate or plates, this apparatus measure the temperature of at least one of the heating plates and:

-   -   compute the cooking time for the food also as a function of this         measured temperature,     -   and/or, when a predetermined preheating temperature is reached,         address to the user information which indicates same to him or         her.

Again to the same end, and in order to optimize the quality of the result achieved, it is recommended that, with the apparatus operating and when the food is in contact with the heating plate or plates, it perform:

-   -   a measurement of the thickness (Y) of the duly positioned food         and/or an estimation of the surface area (Z) occupied by this         food on the heating plate, upon which said trend of the internal         cooking temperature (X) of the food depends,     -   then said calculation of the cooking time (T) for the food as a         function of the thickness (Y) of the food, and/or of the surface         area (Z) that it occupies.

In order to simplify the intervention of the user in the operation of the apparatus, without affecting the quality of the cooking achieved, it is recommended that:

-   -   said calculation of the cooking time (T) for the food comprise         the calculation of a first cooking time (T), as a function of         the lowest temperature (X) out of those stored in memory,     -   at the end of said first calculated cooking time (T), there is         an indication to the user, by the apparatus, that the         corresponding cooking has been achieved, then:     -   if the user does not remove the food, there is application by         the apparatus of a second calculated cooking time (T) for the         food, as a function of the second in ascending order of said         temperatures stored in memory (X),     -   at the end of this second calculated cooking time (T), there is         once again an indication to the user, by the apparatus, that the         corresponding cooking has been achieved,     -   and so on.

Once again to simplify the intervention of the user in the operation of the apparatus, without affecting the quality of the cooking achieved, it is recommended that, during said operation of the apparatus, the food be positioned between a plurality of said heating plates, in contact with them.

Thus, there will notably be no need to turn over the food and, if provided, the measurement of the thickness (Y) of the food will be able to be simplified.

To refine the quality of the cooking achieved, and therefore the benefit for the user of the information delivered, it is recommended:

-   -   that at least one of the following steps be provided:         -   selection of the category of the food to be cooked,         -   selection of the frozen state of the food,         -   selection of a desired grille marking of the food,     -   and that the preheating temperature depends on the or said         selections made and be selected by the apparatus out of several         temperatures previously stored in memory.

Finally, again to simplify the intervention of the user in the operation of the apparatus, without affecting the quality of the cooking achieved, it is recommended that, at the end of the step (A) of preheating of the apparatus, the start of the step (B) of cooking of the food be detected automatically by the apparatus, by a lowering beyond a predetermined threshold of the measured temperature of the or of one of the heating plates.

Now with regard to the cooking apparatus itself, which therefore comprises at least one heating plate for cooking concerned by its contact, it is characterized in that it comprises, to achieve an internal cooking of the food to a greater or lesser degree desired by a user:

-   -   a memory for storing different temperatures (X) before the first         operational use of the apparatus,     -   means for measuring the thickness (Y) of the food then         positioned in contact with the heating plate or plates and/or         means for estimating the surface area (Z) occupied by this food         on the or one of the heating plates,     -   means for calculating at least one cooking time (T) for the duly         positioned food, as a function:         -   of at least one of the temperatures (X) out of those stored             in memory, and         -   of the thickness (Y) of the food, and/or of the surface             area (Z) occupied by the food; and         -   means for indication to the user, by the apparatus, of             information at the end of said calculated cooking time,             which is a function of at least one of the stored             temperature values (X).

These stored temperatures will be, or a priori comprise, temperatures (X) characteristic of internal cooking of the food, such as, for example, for a meat: rare, medium, well done.

In order once again to simplify the intervention of the user in the context of the user/apparatus interface, it is recommended that the indication means comprise:

-   -   a luminous display,     -   a chromatic reference frame showing a number of colors or color         intensities, and     -   means for varying the color or the color intensity of the         display, from one color or color intensity from the reference         frame to another.

In the same context of simplicity of intervention of the user and of relevance of the information supplied, it is recommended that the apparatus comprise at least one temperature sensor for the heating plate or plates linked to the indication means, to have them indicate to the user information that a predetermined preheating temperature, stored in memory, has been reached.

To favor having the user obtain information that he or she will deem practical, relevant and clear, with a reliable solution, it is also proposed that:

-   -   the luminous display comprise multicolored LEDs,     -   and that the means comprise means for sequencing the colors or         color intensities by variations of chromatic coordinates.

The user could in fact wish to act him- or her-self, positively, on this choice, via such a manual selection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description given below, in the case of a common use of the abovementioned three parameters (X, Y, Z), and in an indicative and in no way limiting manner, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents an example of a cooking process according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 represents a lower shell of a cooking apparatus provided with two temperature sensors, according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 represents the two temperature curves measured by two temperature sensors of one of the shells, such as the lower shell, and the temperature curve measured at the core of the food as a function of time,

FIG. 4 shows an example of cooking kinetics ensuring a cooking with marking, independently of the number of food items on the plate, with measurement of temperatures by a single sensor,

FIGS. 5, 6 respectively show the trend of the temperature of the temperature sensor provided, as a function of time and of the surface area occupied by the food, and the trend of the slope of the curve 2 as a function of time and of the surface area occupied,

FIGS. 7, 8 show a cooking apparatus of grille type that makes it possible to implement the method that is the subject of the invention,

and FIG. 9 schematically represents, as indicator for the user, a luminous display with chromatic reference frame and means for varying colors or color intensities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cooking apparatus which what is described below is intended to be implemented comprises, in the illustrations, two shells articulated relative to one another, including a lower shell 9 and an upper shell 90; see FIG. 7. The lower shell 9 comprises a lower heating plate 61 and the upper shell comprises an upper heating plate 63. Each shell comprises a heating resistor 10 positioned between the heating plate and the bottom of the shell. The food is cooked by contact between plate(s) and food items. The food may be meat, or other food.

Notably in this context, there has therefore been:

-   -   in the factory, a storage in memory 72 of the apparatus of         different internal cooking temperatures (X) for the food,     -   then, with the apparatus operating and to achieve an internal         cooking of the food to a greater or lesser degree, then desired         by the user:         -   a placing of the food in contact with the heating plate(s)             61, 63 and a calculation by the apparatus of the cooking             time for the food as a function of at least one of the             stored temperatures (X),         -   and an indication by the apparatus to the user, in the             example via the display 79, of information which depends on             the trend of said cooking temperature (X).

In other words, the information intended for the user has been indicated by the apparatus, here via the display 79, at the end of a heating time for the food (via the resistor(s) 10) which is a function of at least one internal cooking temperature value (X) for the food prestored in memory 72 of the apparatus, in the factory, before its first operational use.

Specifically, the apparatus has here indicated said information to the user, notably at the end of the calculated cooking time (T).

And it has, even during cooking, measured the temperature of at least one of the heating plates 61, 63 and calculated the cooking time for the food also as a function of this measured temperature.

It has even also, favorably:

-   -   performed a measurement of the thickness (Y) of the duly         positioned food and/or an estimation of the surface area (Z)         occupied by this food on the heating plate, on which depends         said trend of the internal cooking temperature (X) for the food,     -   then conducted said calculation of the cooking time (T) for the         food as a function of these parameters (Y) and/or (Z).

It has been understood that the information indicated by the apparatus to the user concerns (is linked to) the cooking of the food.

To enable the user to have his or her food at the right temperature so that it is, if necessary, seared appropriately, the apparatus has also, on reaching the predetermined preheating temperature, addressed to the user information which has indicated it to him or her.

In this context preferably, here:

-   -   at least one of the following steps is conducted:         -   selection of the category of the food to be cooked (buttons             880 FIG. 9),         -   selection of the frozen state of the food, if such is the             case (button 881),         -   selection of a desired grille marking of the food,         -   if necessary, final validation of the choice (button 883),     -   and the preheating temperature θ′ depends on the or said         selection(s) made and is selected by the apparatus from a number         of temperatures previously stored (in 72).

To the cooking apparatus of FIGS. 7 and 8, it therefore comprises means 79 for indicating to the user anticipated (cooking) information, linked to the end having been reached of said calculated cooking time.

More specifically, FIG. 9 shows that the indication means 79, here visual, preferably comprise:

-   -   a luminous display 83,     -   a chromatic reference frame 85 showing a number of colors or         color intensities, and     -   means 87 for varying the color or color intensity of the         display, from one color or color intensity of the reference         frame to another.

Preferably, the luminous display will comprise, as schematically represented in FIG. 9, multicolored light-emitting diodes 830 and the variation means 87 will comprise means 870 for sequencing the colors or color intensities by variations of chromatic coordinates.

These means will be able to be an electronic card controlling the change of color. The main multi-colored electronic diodes may be made up of three small diodes each emitting in a primary color. The control technique (which may be of the PWM type) may make it possible to independently modulate the pulse widths of the three colors which make up the diode (such as blue, green, red). All the main diodes are controlled independently.

The indication means 79 will favorably be linked to at least one temperature sensor (11 or 11 a, 11 b hereinbelow) provided to detect that of the plate or plates 61, 63, to make them indicate to the user information that the predetermined preheating temperature stored in memory 72 has been reached.

As for the variation means 87, they will, at least functionally, be linked to the microcontroller(s) cited later 73, 75, 77 and therefore to the means also cited later 65, 66, 67, 69/11 (or 11 a, 11 b), 70, 71, 72, 79 and to the resistors 10, for their control.

That said, the cooking method in itself will comprise, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a preheating A) of the apparatus followed by a cooking B) of the food for a time (T).

FIG. 1 represents, as an example, a process of cooking an unfrozen meat. The curve 1 represents the trend of the temperature measured at the core of the food as a function of time. Here, it has been acquired in the factory and does not necessarily exist in the marketed apparatus. At least some of these points are, however, entered into memory 72 of the apparatus. The curve 2 represents the trend as a function of time of the temperature of one of the heating plates, which is measured during the commercial operation of the apparatus. The X axis 3 represents the time in seconds, the Y axis on the left 4 represents the measured temperature of the heating plate concerned, such as 63, and the Y axis on the right 5 represents the temperature measured at the core of the food. The curve 6 represents the heating cycle as a function of time (power consumed). During the step A), the measured plate temperature rises rapidly to a level 7 corresponding to a preheating temperature. In the example 2, this temperature is approximately 230° C. Once this is reached, the food is placed on the lower heating plate. The high contact temperature makes it possible to perform a marking on the food. A crust is then formed.

The placing of the food in the heating apparatus corresponds to the start of the step of cooking of the food B). The measured temperature of the heating plate (curve 2) drops to a temperature stabilization level 8, corresponding to approximately 150° C. in the example.

By way of confirmation (since a priori not available in the apparatus), the curve 1 shows that the temperature of the food rises in the mean time gradually to a temperature which is a function of the category of the food, even of its frozen state.

What FIG. 1 does not show is that, before any cooking process, conducted for example with the apparatus schematically represented in FIG. 9, there has typically been able to have been, in the factory (therefore before the marketing of the apparatus), a storage in memory 72 of the apparatus, notably of different internal cooking temperatures (X) for the food (preferably for several food items) making it possible to reach, for at least one given food, several core cooking levels (internal).

Then, as indicated above, it is therefore possible to choose for there to be a positive selection by the user, on the apparatus, of one of these stored temperatures (X).

In this case, the apparatus having been sold, when its user goes to use it, what follows may be implemented:

-   -   powering up of the apparatus 1, for example by pressing on an         on/off button 70;     -   via the interface 67 of the apparatus, and in the menu that the         latter then displays, selection, therefore on the apparatus, by         the user, preferably first of all of a category of food to be         cooked (choice for example between meat and fish), then, here, a         degree (X) of internal cooking desired for the food, out of a         number available (if provided);     -   automatic determination:         -   of the temperatures θ: maximum preheating temperature             (before the placement of the food) taking into account the             category of the food, if the latter can be selected, and θ′:             minimum or final cooking temperature of the food (after its             placement of the food), once again taking into account its             category, if provided,         -   and of the duty cycle: changes of the electrical energy             supplied to the resistors 10 from the source provided (such             as the mains); definition and application of the variations,             which can be binary—maximum or zero—, of this energy; see             curve 6;     -   automatic preheating of the apparatus (step A), via the         resistors 10, with application of a predetermined preheating         time defined in factory tests, then entered into memory 72 and         which makes it possible to reach the stabilized temperature θ         during the interval provided;     -   with the apparatus open, placement of the food;     -   closure of the apparatus; this will preferably be necessary to         activate the start of the cooking of the food (step B), then         with, preferably automatically, a measurement of the         thickness (Y) of the food introduced between the plates 61, 63;     -   the apparatus then automatically detects an abrupt lowering of         the measured temperature of the heating plate concerned (contact         with the food), after which the temperature is substantially         stabilized; see zone 8, FIG. 1 or 3. Preferably this start of         cooking step B) will be detected:         -   as a function of this lowering of measured temperature(s)             (in time, speed, slope, etc.),         -   and, comparatively, with one or more predetermined             thresholds of the temperature drop detected;     -   from this/these temperature variation(s) measured on the plate         concerned of the grille, there may then be an estimation of the         load (or surface area occupied by the food): abovementioned         parameter (Z);     -   again preferably at the start of this cooking step, there is         also estimation/calculation by the apparatus of the required         cooking time (T). This time is therefore that, indicated for         example in FIG. 1 (T), between the moment when the food is         placed in contact with the heating plate(s) and that when it is         removed therefrom, at the end of cooking. The origin moment may         typically be that of the closure of the apparatus, if it is a         grille, followed almost immediately by the measured drop in         temperature of the plate. The end moment is also that when the         announcement that the cooking is done is made by the apparatus.         The expected temperature/degree (X) of internal cooking is         reached;     -   via, for example, a microcontroller 73, 75, and an indicator 79         accessible to the user, provision is then made for the user to         be, at the end of the calculated time, informed by the apparatus         that the expected degree (X) of cooking has been reached; the         user is thus prompted to remove his or her food;     -   the apparatus can then for example automatically keep the food         hot waiting for the user to open the apparatus;     -   the apparatus can finally be powered down, for example via the         switch 70.

Thus, the end of cooking established at the end of the estimated/calculated time T, when, once the food has been placed in the preheated apparatus, the measured temperature, after having dropped because of this food, is stabilized (zone 8, FIG. 1 or 4), for example between two values for which the difference has been predefined and entered into memory 72;

In addition to the above, the interface 67 with the user can be able to make it possible to select, from the menu, the frozen state of the food (frozen or not) and/or the extent of the grille marking desired (strongly marked or other).

The interface 67 can be a touchscreen.

In the above scheme, the cooking time (T) for the food in the abovementioned step B) is determined by a process in which the following steps are conducted:

-   -   a step of measurement of the thickness (Y) of the food,     -   a step of estimation by the apparatus of the surface area (Z)         occupied by the food on one of the heating plates,     -   a step of calculation in the apparatus of a cooking time (T) for         the food as a function:         -   of the degree (X) of internal cooking of the food,         -   of the thickness (Y) of the food,         -   of the surface area (Z) occupied by the food.

The degrees (X) that can be selected will be able to correspond to cooking cycles that are respectively rare, medium and well done. Each case will have, in memory 72, a corresponding cooking temperature taken from the curve 1, in the factory. Thus, it will be possible to have three parameter values, respectively 55° C., 65° C. and 75° C.

To measure the thickness (Y) of the food, sensor means 65 can be provided on the apparatus, detecting the average distance between the lower and upper heating plates, 61, 63, and in particular their relative separation when the food is introduced between them. It is then possible to obtain a food thickness which is a function of the relative displacement distance of the plates between them, upon the closure of the apparatus.

In FIG. 7, it can be seen that these heating plates are rotationally mobile relative to one another. When the upper heating plate is in horizontal position after having been displaced toward the lower heating plate, a positioning mechanism 66 can linearly and vertically displace the upper heating plate (by bringing one of these plates closer to or further away from the other) until there is contact with the interposed food.

By way of example, the sensor means 65 can comprise at least one optoelectronic inductive proximity sensor. It could alternatively be a force sensor measuring for example the force on a spring blade via a strain gauge, or a magnetic incremental positioning sensor using the Hall effect (again measuring distance).

Once the preheating is finished, the automatic triggering, by the apparatus, of the cooking step will preferably take place only if the sensor means 65 measure a value that is neither zero nor “infinity”.

In FIG. 8, it can be seen that the positioning means or mechanism 66 comprise arms 660, 661 mounted articulated between the lower 9 and upper 90 shells. These arms, here two of them, 660, 661, are fixed, here laterally, close to one of the edges of each of the shells, such that two parallel rotation axes 9 a, 90 a (horizontal) passing through the fixings of the arms 660, 661 are defined, for the relative movements between the heating plates. Opposite, a handle 81 fixed to one of the shells, here 90, assists in the maneuver.

During the step of estimation of the abovementioned surface area (Z), means for estimating this surface area determine whether the heating plate, provided with the load sensor(s), is fully loaded, partially loaded, or not loaded (cooking apparatus empty). This estimation can therefore be obtained from temperature data variations measured on (at least) one of these plates.

The step will preferably comprise, advantageously during a predefined time (T) which begins from the detection of the start of the cooking step B): —a substep of measurement of the temperature of the heating plate fitted (upper plate 63, FIG. 7), —then a substep of determination of this surface area (Z) as a function:

-   -   a) of time calculated to achieve a substantially zero stabilized         slope (abovementioned zone 8, FIGS. 1, 3) of the trend of this         measured temperature,     -   b) or of a drop in this temperature compared to a predetermined         threshold (value(s) in terms of amplitude, on reaching a minimum         temperature and/or in terms of slope(s) with, in the case a),         the existence of a relationship between the surface area and the         quantity of energy to be provided to compensate the heat losses         due to the placement of the food.

The calculation of this parameter will be able to be done by a computation means such as a microcontroller with which the apparatus is equipped.

With a multi-sensor solution, such as, for example, with the two temperature sensors 11 a, 11 b, shown in FIG. 2 (even if it might be preferred to place a first sensor centered on one side (such as 11 a in FIG. 3), and a second off-center), comparisons, preferably of slope values, calculated for one and the other of these sensors, with a predetermined threshold, stored in memory 72, will be able to make it possible to define the parameter values (Z) to be used.

With the solution with two temperature sensors 11 a, 11 b shown in FIG. 2, and if the parameter retained is the slope, the following thresholds will be able to be considered:

-   -   if slope>−0.5° C./s for the two sensors=>surface area Z has         little or no load=>value Z1,     -   if slope<−0.5° C./s for one of the sensors, with=>surface area Z         averagely loaded=>value Z2,     -   if slope<−0.5° C./s for the two sensors=>surface area Z fully         loaded=>value Z3.

For the temperature sensor(s), it will be possible to choose probes with negative temperature coefficient (NTC). They will be able to be housed behind the heating plate which covers them internally.

Computation means then make it possible to calculate the cooking time (T) for the food as a function of the degree of the internal cooking temperature (X) desired, here selected, for the food, of the thickness (Y) of the food, and/or of the surface area (Z) that it occupies.

This cooking time (T) for the food can be determined by a quadratic correlation calculation method with the following second degree function: T(X,Y,Z)=A1+A2*X+A3*Y+A4*Z+A5*X ² +A6*Y ² +A7*Z ² +A8*X*Y+A9*X*Z+A10*Y*Z.  (1)

The coefficients A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9 and A10 are predefined for each menu, for predefined temperature conditions. They are stored in storage means (such as the memory 72). They are constants.

As a variant, the cooking time (T) for the food can be determined by a linear correlation calculation method with the following first degree function: T(X,Y,Z)=B1+B2*X+B3*Y+B4*Z  (2)

The coefficients B1, B2, B3 and B4 are predefined for each menu, for predefined temperature conditions. They are stored in said storage means (memory 72 for example). They are constants.

Regarding the estimation of the surface area occupied by the food items, the possibility of an estimation of the surface area (Z) via (at least) two temperature sensors (values Z1, Z2, etc.) has been described above.

Another possibility consists in using only a single energy sensor (item 11, FIG. 7) which can be a temperature probe placed, as previously, in contact with one of the heating plates. Favorably, this sensor will be remotely cited at (toward) the periphery of the heating plate concerned, facing a zone of the plate where food should not (or cannot) be placed. The sensor will be able to fulfill two functions, in conjunction with the microcontroller(s):

-   -   regulating the temperature of the plate,     -   measuring the quantity of energy to be provided to compensate         the losses linked to the presence of the food or foods on the         plate. Assuming that the food items are steaks (see FIGS. 4-6),         it will be possible to correlate this with the number of such         steaks present being cooked on the plate, or the extent of the         occupied surface area.

Thus:

-   -   a slope beyond a first threshold retained and stored in memory         72 will be able to correspond to a heating plate fully occupied         by the food,     -   a slope below a second threshold will be able to correspond to         an unoccupied heating plate,     -   and a slope between the two thresholds will be able to         correspond to a partially occupied heating plate.

To illustrate this, FIG. 4 shows an example of cooking kinetics established on the following basis: cooking of three joints/steaks cut from a topside round, common thickness of 29 mm, identical surface areas of the plates 61, 63 substantially fully occupied (except just at the periphery where the temperature sensor 11 is located; FIG. 7), expected core temperature (at the end of cooking) of approximately 60° C., cooking time of approximately 23 min (calculated).

These kinetics could be considered to be valid regardless of the surface area estimation method used; it could therefore replace the illustration of FIG. 1 where the curve 2 concerned a multi-sensor application.

In FIG. 4, the X axis represents the time in seconds, the Y axis on the left 4 represents the temperature (° C.). The Y axis on the right 50 represents the thickness (mm) of the food. The curve 21 represents the trend of the thickness of the food/food items present on the heating plate as a function of time. The trend of the curve 2 is comparable to that of FIG. 1 (see comments above). After the step A (=A1+A2) of preheating, the placing of the food in the heating apparatus corresponds to the start of the step B (=B1+B2) of cooking of this food.

There occur:

-   -   a cooking in two phases:         -   a phase B1 of marking;         -   a phase B2 of cooking at lower temperature, to allow time             for the heat to migrate to the core without risking charring             the periphery;     -   a marking time approximately proportional to the exchange         surface area (Z) and therefore to the quantity of food.

Throughout the phase 22 marked by a broken outline square in which there is marking of the food (or food items), there is no reversal of the cycle of delivery of the electrical power (the electrical power/energy delivered to the resistors remains maximum).

This is preferably the interval during which the analysis phase (B1, broken outline square 22, FIG. 4) is performed: values Y and/or Z, calculated time T.

Regarding the estimation of the surface area (Z) occupied by the food items, FIGS. 5, 6 show respectively:

-   -   the trend of the detected temperature as a function of time and         of said occupied surface area,     -   the trend of the slope of the curve 2 as a function of time and         of the occupied surface area.

In FIGS. 5, 6, the origin of the time (T=0) is the moment of placement of the food in the heating apparatus, i.e. here (as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4) the start of the step of cooking of the food (B).

In FIG. 5, the curves 23, 24, 25 correspond respectively to the steak cases 1, 2, 3. The circles 26, 27, 28 show the respective slope cancellations.

In FIG. 6, the Y axis corresponds to the slope (in ° C./s), the X axis is the time (in s).

The curves 29, 30, 31 correspond respectively to the steak cases 1, 2, 3. The circles 33, 35, 37 show the respective slope cancellations (passage through the time X axis).

The analysis of the slope concerned makes it possible to reveal that there are correlations between:

-   -   the exchange surface area and the minimum slope, or the         temperature drop at a given instant,     -   the exchange surface area and the instant when the slope is         cancelled (instant when the slopes linked to the exchanges         between the food items and the plate have been compensated).

The second relationship (FIG. 6) is deemed more reliable because it is less dependent on the accuracy of the calculations (see dispersion on curve with the steak) and on the position of the sensor on the plate.

Two methods can be envisaged for estimating the occupied surface area:

-   -   establishing, via experimentation conducted in the factory,         before the marketing of the apparatus, the affine function         (y=ax+b) which links the occupied surface area to the instant         when the slope reversed,     -   identifying three zones:         -   zone A, plate with little load (1/3 of the plate occupied),         -   zone B, plate with average load (2/3 plate),         -   zone C, plate strongly loaded (3/3 plate),     -   then testing the correspondence of the system to one or other of         these three zones.

This method is potentially easier to synchronize with the communication to the user of the corresponding information (indicator 79).

In this case:

-   -   it is essential for the sensor 11 to be positioned on a zone         without food, such as the perimeter of the plate:     -   the following are taken into account, as explained above:         -   the existence of a correlation between the reversal of the             slope of trend of the temperature detected by the sensor and             the exchange surface area between the heating plate             concerned and the food (the food items) positioned against             this plate: passage through a zero trend slope; see above,         -   the existence of a correlation between the minimum slope and             said exchange surface area.

From the above, it will have been understood that two methods have therefore been considered for estimating the occupied surface area:

-   -   the first that can use only a single temperature sensor 11         remotely cited at the periphery of the plate concerned,         therefore with the existence of a relationship between the         surface area occupied by the interposed food and the quantity of         energy to be provided to compensate for losses (time observed         for a slope of the curve 2 equal to zero), or a greater or         lesser temperature drop (temperature threshold), or a faster or         slower temperature drop (slope threshold),     -   a second using a number of temperature sensors, such as 11 a, 11         b, distributed on or under the plate concerned, then with the         presence or not of food (food items) in the vicinity of two,         three, or even four sensors.

It should also be noted that, if the temperature sensor(s) 11 or 11 a, 11 b are positioned in such a way that it (they) detects (detect) the temperature of the cooking plate (here upper) which comes into contact with the food only when the two plates 61, 63 are displaced relative to one another to close the apparatus (moment when the cooking time=0), it will then be possible to have two information items for triggering the start of the cooking (phase B): that obtained from the temperature sensor(s) and that from the thickness sensor.

In FIG. 7, it will also be noted that the cooking apparatus 60 of meat grille type therefore comprises the lower 61 and upper 63 heating plates, as follows:

-   -   the means 65 for measuring the thickness (Y) of one or more food         items (here called “food” 80), such as the abovementioned steak         or steaks (these means 65 are linked functionally to the means         66 for relative convergence/separation of the plates 61, 63),     -   the selection means 67 for selecting, from several prestored         options, the degree/temperature (X) of internal cooking desired         for the food;     -   means 69 for estimating the surface area (Z) occupied by the         food on one of the heating plates; and     -   means 71 for calculating the cooking time (T) for the food.

A cooking chamber 600 for the food (FIG. 7) is defined between the lower 61 and upper 63 heating plates.

The means 69 for estimating the surface area (Z) comprise the abovementioned temperature sensor 11 or sensors 11 a, 11 b.

To best carry out the estimation of the surface area (Z) occupied by the food 80, it is also recommended that the means 71 for calculating the cooking time (T) for the food comprise the microcontroller 73 configured to determine the slope of the temperature curve obtained from the abovementioned temperature measurements.

And, to the same end, it is also recommended that, with these temperature measurements, this microcontroller, or another 75:

-   -   regulate the temperature of the heating plate 61 or 63, and     -   change the quantity of energy to be supplied, by the resistor or         resistors 10, as a function of the extent of the surface area         occupied by said food items on the heating plate concerned, in         order therefore to compensate the temperature drops linked to         the placement of these food items between the plates.

The microcontrollers 73, 75 can be combined in a central microcontroller 77. The microcontroller(s) is/are linked to the abovementioned means 65, 66, 67, 69/11 (or 11 a, 11 b), 70, 71, 72, 79 and to the resistors 10, for their control.

Regarding the taking into account of the degree (X) of internal cooking to be achieved for the food, it has already been understood that it is possible to dispense with the step described above of selection by the user of one of said temperatures stored in memory for this purpose (it is recalled that the abovementioned steps of storage in memory 72, in the factory, of data, algorithms, etc., as mentioned above, are always performed identically).

In this case, when the user decides to use the apparatus that he or she has just bought, he or she simply has to engage the latter which is set to preheating mode, as already explained.

The following then take place:

-   -   when the apparatus is functioning and to achieve a greater or         lesser internal cooking of the food then desired by a user, the         user places the food in contact with the heating plate or         plates, such as 61, 63,     -   the apparatus then calculates a first cooking time (T) for the         duly positioned food, as a function of the lowest         temperature (X) out of those stored in memory,     -   at the end of this first calculated cooking time (T), the         apparatus indicates to the user that the corresponding cooking         has been achieved (via, for example, the indicator 79), then:     -   if the user does not remove the food, the apparatus         automatically applies a second calculated cooking time (T) for         the food, as a function of the second in ascending order of said         temperatures stored in memory (X); it will be well understood         from the above that this second calculated cooking time makes it         possible to increase the cooking of the food which will thus be         cooked more,     -   at the end of this second calculated cooking time (T), the         apparatus once again indicates to the user that the         corresponding cooking has been achieved,     -   and so on.

As already explained, the apparatus will, during operation:

-   -   measure the thickness (Y) of the food then positioned against         said heating plate and/or estimate the surface area (Z) occupied         by this food on this heating plate,     -   calculate the cooking time (T) for the duly positioned food, as         a function:         -   in addition to said internal cooking temperature (X) out of             those stored in memory,         -   of the thickness (Y) of the food and/or of the surface             area (Z) occupied by the food.

For the remainder, the explanations have already been given; they remain valid.

It should however be noted that it is here considered that a cooking apparatus that is heated electrically, by resistors, would address the issue already described, provided that it comprised:

-   -   in addition to at least one heating plate on which to position         the food to be cooked, and in conjunction with a microcontroller         (such as 73, 75, 77) provided in the apparatus,     -   means for estimating a surface area (Z) occupied by the food on         the heating plate, via at least one temperature sensor (such as         11, 11 a, 11 a) which:         -   regulates the temperature of the heating plate for which it             measures the temperature, and         -   changes the quantity of electrical energy to be supplied, as             a function of the extent of the surface area occupied by the             food on the heating plate, in order to compensate the             temperature drops linked to the placement of the food, or of             the food items, on one of the heating plates, or between             these heating plates.

The means for estimating a surface area (Z) will be able to be those of the description on the preceding pages.

Regarding the apparatus concerned that is the subject of the present topic, it could also be an apparatus comprising only a single heating plate for cooking food by contact.

A cooking pan or any cooking utensil with a lid receiving, on contact with it, a food to be cooked (saucepan, cooking pot, etc.) ought to be suitable, provided that it would be linked to a controllable heat source as will have been understood from the above.

Notably in this case, provision could be made for the means for measuring the thickness (Y) of the food placed in contact with the heating plate to be a cover positioned movably on the utensil and provided with the suitable sensor already described. The cover could be annular.

To favor the contact between food and heating plate(s), each plate will, in any case, be preferably full. A grille solution would not then be suitable.

In the above, with reference to the solutions illustrated, provision has been made for the or each (useful) internal cooking temperature value (X) for the food to be prestored in memory of the apparatus, in the factory, before the first operational use of this apparatus. Provision could however be made for this (these) datum (data) to be entered into memory 72 by the user, for example via the interface 67. Thus, provision can be made for the user to enter into memory 72 a cooking temperature value (X) of 45° C., for a meat that is desired to be rare. In this case, there could be no storage in memory in the factory (therefore before the marketing of the apparatus) of the or any different internal cooking temperatures (X) for the food.

It will also be noted that, when used alone, independently of the combination of the other abovementioned features, the following method would also address the issues described above: method for implementing a cooking apparatus that is electrically heated and comprising at least one heating plate on which to position a food item (for cooking by contact), said method comprising a step of preheating A) of the apparatus followed by a step of cooking of the food B), the start of the cooking step B) being marked, and possibly detected, by a lowering beyond a predetermined threshold of the temperature of the heating plate. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for cooking a food item with an apparatus comprising: calculating, with the apparatus, a cooking duration for a food item in contact with and between two heating plates of the apparatus, using at least a surface area (Z) occupied by the food item on at least one heating plate of the apparatus, wherein the surface area is obtained from temperature data variations measured with a temperature sensor located at a periphery of the at least one heating plate occupied by the food item; heating, with one or more resistor(s) in the apparatus, the food item in contact with two heating plates of the apparatus at the calculated cooking duration; and indicating, with the apparatus and to a user at an end of the heating of the food, information which depends on at least one internal cooking temperature value (X) of the food stored in the apparatus, wherein different internal cooking temperatures (X) of the food item which correspond respectively to different cooking states of the food are stored in memory of the apparatus, and wherein the information indicates to the user that the cooking state corresponding to the cooking duration has been achieved.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: different said internal cooking temperatures of the food are stored in memory of the apparatus, and, to be able to deliver the food to the user with an internal cooking as desired, the following steps are carried out: said placing in contact of this food with the heating plates, a calculation by the apparatus of the cooking duration of the food as a function of at least one of the stored temperatures (X), and said indication to the user of the information indicating to him or her that the cooking state corresponding to the calculated cooking duration has been achieved.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each internal cooking temperature value (X) of the food stored in memory of the apparatus is prestored in the factory, before the first operational use of the apparatus.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus indicates said information to the user notably at the end of the calculated cooking duration (T).
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, with the apparatus operating and when the food is in contact with the heating plates, it measures the temperature of at least one of the heating plates and calculates the cooking duration of the food also as a function of this measured temperature.
 6. The cooking method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, at the end of the step (A) of preheating of the apparatus, the start of the step (B) of cooking of the food is detected by a lowering beyond a predetermined threshold of the measured temperature of the or of one of the heating plates.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, with the apparatus operating and before the food is in contact with the heating plates, it measures the temperature of at least one of the heating plates and, when a predetermined preheating temperature is reached, addresses to the user the information indicating same to him or her.
 8. The cooking method as claimed in claim 7, wherein: it comprises at least one of the following steps: selection of the category of the food to be cooked, selection of the frozen state of the food, selection of a desired grill marking of the food, and the preheating temperature depends on the or said selections made and is selected by the apparatus out of several temperatures previously stored in memory.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, with the apparatus operating and when the food is in contact with the heating plates, it performs: a measurement of the thickness (Y) of the food and an estimation of the surface area (Z) occupied by this food on the at least one heating plate, upon which said trend of the internal cooking temperature (X) of the food depends, then said calculation of the cooking duration (T) for the food as a function of the thickness (Y) of the food, and of the surface area (Z) that it occupies.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the cooking duration (T) for the food is calculated by calculating a first cooking duration (T), as a function of the lowest temperature (X) out of those stored in memory, at the end of said first calculated cooking duration (T), indication to the user, by the apparatus, that the corresponding cooking has been achieved, then: if the user does not remove the food, the application by the apparatus of a second calculated cooking duration (T) for the food, as a function of the second in ascending order of said temperatures stored in memory (X), at the end of this second calculated cooking duration (T), once again an indication to the user, by the apparatus, that the corresponding cooking has been achieved.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a grill.
 12. A cooking apparatus comprising two heating plates for cooking a food by contact and at least one temperature sensor at a periphery of at least one of the heating plates, wherein the apparatus further comprises, to be able to deliver to a user the food with an internal cooking as desired: a memory for storing different internal cooking temperatures (X) of the food which correspond respectively to different cooking states of said food, means for measuring the thickness (Y) of the food then positioned in contact with the heating plates and means for estimating the surface area (Z) occupied by this food on at least one of the heating plates, means for calculating at least one cooking duration (T) for the food, as a function: of at least one of the internal cooking temperatures (X) out of those stored in memory, of the thickness (Y) of the food, and of the surface area (Z) occupied by the food; and means for indication to the user, by the apparatus, of information at the end of said calculated cooking duration, which is a function of at least one of the stored cooking temperature values (X) and which indicates to the user that the cooking state corresponding to the cooking duration has been achieved, wherein the means for estimating the surface area (Z) comprises the at least one temperature sensor and a microcontroller.
 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the indication means comprise: a luminous display, a chromatic reference frame showing a number of colors or color intensities, and means for varying the color or the color intensity of the display, from one color or color intensity from the reference frame to another.
 14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the luminous display comprises multicolored light-emitting diodes, and the means comprise means for sequencing the colors or color intensities by variations of chromatic coordinates.
 15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one temperature sensor for the heating plates is linked to the indication means, such that the indication means indicate to the user information that a predetermined preheating temperature stored in memory has been reached.
 16. A cooking apparatus comprising two heating plates for cooking a food by contact and a plurality of temperature sensors arrayed on at least one of the heating plates, wherein the apparatus further comprises, to be able to deliver to a user the food with an internal cooking as desired: a memory for storing different internal cooking temperatures (X) of the food which correspond respectively to different cooking states of said food, means for estimating the surface area (Z) occupied by this food on at least one of the heating plates, means for calculating at least one cooking duration (T) for the duly positioned food, as a function: of at least one of the internal cooking temperatures (X) out of those stored in memory, and of the surface area (Z) occupied by the food; and means for indication to the user, by the apparatus, of information at the end of said calculated cooking duration, which is a function of at least one of the stored cooking temperature values (X) and which indicates to the user that the cooking state corresponding to the cooking duration has been achieved, wherein the means for estimating the surface area (Z) comprises the plurality of temperature sensors and a microcontroller.
 17. A method for cooking a food item with an apparatus comprising: calculating, with the apparatus, a cooking duration for a food item in contact with and between two heating plates of the apparatus, using at least a surface area (Z) occupied by the food item on at least one heating plate of the apparatus, wherein the surface area is determined as a function of the calculated duration to achieve a more stabilized slope of a measured heating plate temperature and of a quantity of energy provided to compensate for heat losses due to the placement of the food; heating, with one or more resistor(s) in the apparatus, the food item in contact with the at least one heating plate of the apparatus at the calculated cooking duration; and indicating, by the apparatus and to a user at an end of the heating of the food, information which depends on at least one internal cooking temperature value (X) of the food stored in the apparatus, wherein different internal cooking temperatures (X) of the food item which correspond respectively to different cooking states of the food are stored in memory of the apparatus, wherein the information indicates to the user that the cooking state corresponding to the cooking duration has been achieved, and wherein the calculated duration to achieve the more stabilized slope of the measured heating plate temperature is determined by a single temperature sensor positioned at a periphery of at least one heating plate occupied by the food, and wherein the quantity of energy provided to compensate the heat losses due to the placement of the food is determined by a microcontroller.
 18. A method-for cooking a food item with an apparatus comprising: calculating, with the apparatus, a cooking duration for a food item in contact with and between two heating plates of the apparatus, using at least a surface area (Z) occupied by the food item on at least one heating plate of the apparatus, wherein the surface area is determined as a function of a drop in heating plate temperature measured using a plurality of temperature sensors arrayed on at least one of the heating plates compared to a predetermined threshold; heating, with one or more resistors in the apparatus, the food item in contact with the at least one heating plate of the apparatus at the calculated cooking duration; and indicating, by the apparatus and to a user at an end of the heating of the food, information which depends on at least one internal cooking temperature value (X) of the food stored in the apparatus, wherein different internal cooking temperatures (X) of the food item which correspond respectively to different cooking states of the food are stored in memory of the apparatus, and wherein the information indicates to the user that the cooking state corresponding to the cooking duration has been achieved. 